Nirmal Karki | Physiotherapist | QLD

Nirmal Karki is an experienced physiotherapist with a professional background spanning both Nepal and Australia since 2011. He has worked across various settings, including hospitals, private practices, NGOs, INGOs, and aged care, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to clinical excellence and person-centred care.

A dedicated advocate for the allied health profession, Nirmal served as Secretary of the Nepal Physiotherapy Association (NEPTA) from 2012 to 2014. He is a founding member, founding spokesperson, and life member of the Nepalese Australian Allied Health Professionals Association Inc. (NAAHPA), and was recently elected President for the 2025–2027 term.

Nirmal has made significant contributions to community wellbeing, including organising rural health camps in Nepal, running physiotherapy awareness campaigns through radio and print media, and engaging in frequent blood donations. In Australia, he continues to provide physiotherapy services and also serves as a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) in Queensland.

As President of NAAHPA, Nirmal remains committed to supporting Nepalese allied health professionals in Australia and fostering a strong, collaborative professional network.

Savi Hamal | Speech Pathologist | Orofacial Myologist| NSW

Savi Hamal is a passionate Speech Pathologist and Orofacial Myologist, practicing since 2017. She is the founder of Savi Communicators, a speech pathology practice in Sydney committed to empowering individuals through communication. She served on the NAAHPA Executive Team from 2023 to 2025 and has been an active life member of the association since July 2022.

Savi strongly believes that everyone has their own unique way of communicating and deserves the opportunity to build meaningful connections with their family, friends, and wider community. She is especially dedicated to supporting children and adults who are non-speaking, helping them find their voice and participate fully in everyday life.

Her special interests include orofacial myology and feeding difficulties, and she is on a mission to raise awareness of the impact of oral dysfunction across the lifespan, from newborns to adults. Savi is deeply committed to addressing the root cause of challenges, not just the symptoms, and educating families and professionals about the importance of early, functional intervention.

Savi is also a strong advocate for inclusion and diversity, aiming to educate communities to celebrate each individual’s differences. One of her goals is to take this advocacy to Nepal, raising awareness and acceptance of disabilities and promoting the value of speech pathology services.

She is inspired by the words of Robert M. Hensel: “There is no greater disability in society than the inability to see a person as more.”

Outside of work, Savi enjoys spending time with her two beloved cats, Cupcakes and Muffins, creating content on TikTok, and exploring new cuisines.

Raju Swar | Physiotherapist | QLD

Raju Swar graduated in 2012 from Bangalore and moved to Australia in 2014. He has been practicing as a physiotherapist in Australia since 2017.
Currently, Raju works as a community physiotherapist, a role he deeply cherishes. Often, he is the only healthcare professional some of his clients see during the week. Raju finds it incredibly satisfying and rewarding to help elderly individuals stay in their homes longer, where they can enjoy their precious memories.

Amrit Sapkota | Physiotherapist | NSW

Amrit Sapkota is a dedicated physiotherapist with a strong professional background and the founder of Elation Health Care. He holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) from Rajeev Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Amrit possesses excellent strategic acumen and thrives in dynamic environments, always prioritizing the welfare of the organisation.

With experience in both Nepal and Australia, Amrit has worked across various clinical settings. He demonstrates strong leadership qualities, having served as the Head of the Physiotherapy Department at one of Kathmandu’s most reputable hospitals.

Ruma Wagle | Social Worker | QLD

Ruma Wagley is a Senior Social Worker with over 12 years of experience in supporting the aged and people with disabilities within the community. She provides advocacy, practical assistance, and counselling, demonstrating a deep commitment to improving the lives of those she serves.

Ruma holds a Master’s in Social Work Studies from the University of Queensland, as well as a degree in Sociology. She is passionate about her work and firmly believes in empowerment, self-determination, enablement, and social justice.

In addition to her clinical work, Ruma actively supports the next generation of social workers by offering placement opportunities and supervision to social work students.

Mahesh Koirala | Nutritionist | NSW

Mahesh Koirala is an Associate Nutritionist (NSA) with a strong passion for public health, workplace wellness, and preventive care. He is committed to promoting culturally sensitive health education, encouraging healthy lifestyle practices, and supporting allied health professionals through collaboration and community engagement.
He believes in the power of food as medicine and brings a practical, evidence based approach to improving health outcomes through nutrition. He holds a Bachelor in Nutrition, is currently serving full time in the Royal Australian Navy, and also works privately for himself as a Nutritionist.

Suniti Amatya | Physiotherapist |VIC

Suniti Amatya, is an experienced, hardworking and dedicated physiotherapist with an experience of over 10 years in the field of acute hospital settings, neurological rehabilitation, community rehabilitation, antenatal and postnatal care, and aged care setting. She graduated from Rajiv Gandhi University, India and since then, embarked into her profession in India. 

Beginning her professional journey from the hospital set up, she has experience in acute settings such as ICU, post surgery ward, general ward. Simultaneously, she was involved in antenatal and postnatal care in the hospital in Bangalore, India.

In the following years, she stepped into the area of disability, health and rehabilitation wherein she developed further interest in community rehabilitation. During her working experience in Nepal, she explored more in the community rehab as that intrigued her the most. Hence, her work involved advocating on the importance of physiotherapy into the health system, liaising with international and government organizations, worked towards inclusion of people with disabilities focusing on patient centred approach. Nevertheless, she has also worked and served during the major disaster – Earthquake, 2015 in Nepal. 

Suniti completed Masters in public health from Deakin University, Australia (2018) and embarked into the process of Australian Physiotherapy Council Assessment in Australia. Meanwhile, she got engaged in the field of gerontology (aged care setting).

By far, she has worked across a number of projects, advocating, liaising, promoting health. Now, Suniti is taking an additional role as an Executive Committee member to share, contribute and learn in a new platform. With her interest in self  development and advocacy, it meets the values of NAAHPA. Therefore, NAAHPA team is fortunate to have Suniti in the team and working together for the better. 

Anup Ghimire | Audiologist | NSW

Anup Ghimire is a registered audiologist with Audiology Australia and currently manages a clinic at Amplifon Australia. With over five years of experience in Nepal, he has worked across clinical practice, research, and teaching, and has been actively involved with the Speech and Hearing Association of Nepal for professional development. Anup is passionate about providing personalised, evidence-based hearing care to help people reconnect with the sounds that matter most.